USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
12202300 OLSEN CREEK NEAR BELLINGHAM, WA
LOCATION - Lat 48°45'05", long 122°21'08" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in NW 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.30, T.38 N., R.4 E., Whatcom County, WA, Hydrologic Unit 17110004, on left bank at downstream side of bridge on North Shore Road, 500 ft upstream from mouth and Lake Whatcom, and 5.8 mi east of Court House in Bellingham.
DRAINAGE AREA - 3.78 mi².
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - November 1967 to September 1969, annual maximum, water years 1970-74. October 2001 to current year.
GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Elevation of gage is 309.98 ft above NAVD of 1988 (USGS GNSS Level II survey Apr. 29, 2021) and 311.8 ft above NGVD of 1929 (City Of Bellingham survey). Prior to 1975 gage at elevation 5.49 ft. lower.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of Jan. 10, 1983, was the highest ever seen by local residents and included flow over the road at gage, elevation 15 ft. Flood documented in USGS letter report by G.T. Higgins, Jan. 16, 1983.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, 1,180 ft³/s, Nov. 15, 2021, gage height, 8.55 ft.; minimum daily discharge, 0.08 ft³/s, Aug. 5, 2021.